Join a guided tour to discover Villa Cattolica, one of the most important historic villas in Bagheria, built in the 18th century by the Bonanno family and now home to the Renato Guttuso Museum. The tour will begin with the history of the villa and the story of Bagheria’s emergence as a town of aristocratic villas, amidst Baroque architecture and Sicilian noble life.
The tour will continue inside the museum, which opened in 1973 thanks to a donation of works by Renato Guttuso, one of the greatest Italian painters of the 20th century. In the rooms dedicated to the artist, you will have the opportunity to learn about his life, his connection to Sicily, and his artistic and civic commitment, while admiring original paintings, drawings, and materials. The museum also houses works by other 20th-century artists associated with Guttuso, including Onofrio Tomaselli, Domenico Quattrociocchi, Pina Calì, Mario Bardi, Giuseppe Pellitteri, and Arrigo Musti, which provide a better understanding of the Sicilian and Italian art scene of the time.
The tour continues with the ethnographic section dedicated to traditional Sicilian carts, a symbol of the island’s popular culture, and with the museum’s other collections, including the plaster cast gallery and the collection of historic movie posters related to Bagheria’s movie theaters.
Outside the villa, visitors will also be able to pay their respects to Renato Guttuso at his monumental tomb, which is located in the villa’s garden in accordance with the artist’s wishes.
The tour thus offers a comprehensive journey through art, history, and tradition, allowing visitors to learn not only about Guttuso but also about Bagheria’s role as one of Sicily’s most important cultural centers.